Whether you’ve reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt’s End:

*Rangers and Astros commence their annual series for the Silver Boot tonight in Houston. One of the worst trophies in all of sports. Of course, the Iron Skillet (TCU-SMU) is also lame. Other candidates: Governor’s Cup (Cowboys-Oilers), Golden Egg (Ole Miss-Mississippi State) and, yuck, Old Brass Spittoon (Indiana-Michigan State).

*The injury to new Cowboys’ offensive lineman Mackenzy Bernadeau ain’t good. He’ll miss all of off-season and not to be ready for contact until training camp after surgery to repair a torn hip. But at least it wasn’t a pre-existing injury. That would’ve made owner/GM Jerry Jones look like a complete fool.

*Don’t know what you did this morning but 28-year-old Mark Zuckerberg donned a hoodie and flip-flops and earned $20 billion when Facebook’s stock went public. Just eight years he hatched his idea in a Harvard dorm room. Amazing. Facebook opened at $38 a share and it’s expected to soar. But be careful, Pandora opened at $20 is now under $11. Same for Groupon ($20 to $13). LinkedIn, however, opened at $45, reached as high as $122 and is now trading at $105.

*When getting 4+ runs of support in his pitching career, Yu Darvish is 54-0. Wow. Still, it looks weird to see him always pitching from the stretch.

*The confirmed injuries (lacerated head, broken nose) of George Zimmerman and the confirmed autopsy (marijuana in his system) of Trayvon Martin isn’t the destination of the trial, but it sure makes for a rockier road for prosecutors. Beyond a shadow of a doubt. Remember?

*If you’ve listened to my jabbering the last year I’ve mentioned the name Roy Hibbert. 7-foot-2. Played four years at Georgetown. Soft jump-hooks with either hand. Fantastic interior defender. After dominated the Heat with 19 points and 18 rebounds last night now you’re noticing, eh? Best thing about Hibbert – he’s a free agent this summer. Try this on: Dirk, teamed with Hibbert and Deron Williams. That’s the light at the end of the Mavs’ tunnel.

*Radio comings and goings: Arnie Spanier announcing via Facebook that he’s leaving 105.3 The Fan. Last day will be June 1. And, also, great to hear that ol’ friend Jagger will be back on the air. Starting Monday, he’s the new morning man on 102.9. Great guy and fantastic radio personality.

*Seen those kids react to biting into a Doritos Taco in those Taco Bell commercials. I’ve never – not once – made that face or gone weak in the knees for food. Eating to me is a necessary fueling, not some form of orgasmic entertainment.

*Lunched at Cool River in Las Colinas yesterday with a black friend and a restaurant manager told him “Turn your cap around.” So, a cap with the bill in front is okay but turned around backward is … what? I won’t be back. Our city/country/planet is so damn uptight.

*Got to peek in at Glenn Beck’s live internet show yesterday in Las Colinas. Very impressive. Don’t agree with much he says, but the guy will make $100 million this year. Why was I at a TV studio yesterday? Stay tuned …

*Steve Orsini out as SMU’s athletic director. He hired big-name coaches in Matt Doherty and June Jones and Larry Brown, but he also mastered the 3-month coaching search.

*Heard this week about a 5th-grader who showed up to “dress up” day at a Plano elementary school as Hitler, and wasn’t sent home. Developing.

*For first time in history, a baby born in U.S. is statistically likely to be non-white.

*Umpires are arrogant and, way too often, wrong. Brandon McCarthy makes a diving catch yesterday against the Rangers and the umps rule he trapped it. For a sport that so covets its sacred numbers, it sure lets those numbers be skewed and stained by consistently inaccurate umpire rulings.

*So now we’re not safe from being robbed while jogging on the Katy Trail at 6:45 a.m.? I admire the robbers’ ambition – that’s pretty early for law-breaking slackers – but their targets can’t be carrying around much of worth.

*I was gonna give an update on the Roger Clemens trial, but I … zzzzzz.

*So one minute you go on a first date and a smiling, innocent 2 –year-old greets you at the door with “What’s your name?” Next thing you know that former step-son you helped raise for 10 years making varsity tennis as a sophomore and getting his driver’s license. Don’t blink, you’ll miss life.

*Remember the doom-and-gloom of $5 gas by the summer?! Don’t look now but prices have steadily fallen for six consecutive weeks. Same “experts” now saying we’ll stay around $3.75 until September. Who knows?

*If manager Ron Washington just must give Josh Hamilton a day off, should he wait to do it on the road where Rangers’ fans are cheated out of seeing their star player?

*When Mike Fisher fills in for Greggo on RAGE next week don’t freak out and start “those” rumors again. He’s having LapBand surgery. No biggie.

*This weekend? After gawking at the girls in heels at the Byron Nelson on Thursday, we’ve sneaked out to Charlotte Friday-Saturday for NASCAR’s All-Star/Hall of Fame weekend. By Sunday afternoon I’ll be back home for some relaxation in the pool. Don’t be a stranger.